Anthropology Midterm
who are the Narcerima?
Americans
the thinker who developed the theory of evolution by means of natural selection in the nineteenth century was
Charles Darwin
the nineteenth century British anthropologist credited with the development of the concept of culture through an evolutionary perspective was
E.B. Tylor
Charles Darwin
English natural scientist who formulated a theory of evolution by natural selection (1809-1882)
True or False? Cultural anthropologists use just three methods
False
True or False? It is easy to identify direct casual links between genes and behavior
False
Reconnaissance work in archaeology is also known as:
Phase I
the theorist most connected with post structuralism is
Renato Rosaldo
True or False? Males and females in a given primate population may be co dominant
True
True or False? Mutation is the only source of new genetic material
True
True or False? Primates often live in groups in order to avoid predators
True
Quantitative Methods
a methodology that classifies features of a phenomenon, counting or measuring them, and constructing mathematical and statistical models to explain what is observed
Ethnographic Method
a prolonged and intensive observation of and participation in the life of a community
Comparitive Method
a research method that derives insights from careful comparisons of aspects of two or more cultures or societies
Qualitative Methods
a research strategy producing an in depth and detailed description of social activities and beliefs
Theory
a tested and repeatedly supported hypothesis
which of the following is NOT studied by anthropologists a) dinosaur bones b) primates c) human culture d) forensics
a) dinosaur bones
an evolutionary perspective would be most likely to explain colonialism as: a) the natural abilities of more civilized people to control less civilized people b) the importance of Enlightenment ideas in explaining cultural difference c) that more evolved countries shouldn't get involved in the development of other countries d) a useful holistic response to social problems
a) the natural abilities of more civilized people to control less civilized people
Practicing Anthropology
anthropological work involving research as well as involvement in the design, implementation, and management of some organization, process, or product
one important adaptation found in New World monkeys is the presence of a) a longer thumb b) a prehensile tail c) a wet nose d) color that blends into the surrounding habitat
b) a prehensile tail
which of the following traits is unique to hominins and NOT found in other primates? a) binocular vision b) bipedalism c) grasping hands d) fingernails
b) bipedalism
which of the following is NOT a concept key to the human culture as discussed in the lecture? a) culture is shared b) culture is isolated c) culture is transformative
b) culture is isolated
Uniformitarianism is the idea that change occurs: a) suddenly and through catastrophes such as floods, earthquakes. etc b) gradually and through the result of processes that are still observable today c) in major punctuations with new species arising very rapidly as a result of mutations or changes in selective pressures d) none of the above
b) gradually and through the result of processes that are still observable today
if you observed gradual changes in environmental temperature and, at the same time, observed that there were changes in the phenotype of a butterfly species over fifteen generations, which theory might best help explain what is going on? a) plasticity b) natural selection c) extinction d) essentialism
b) natural selection
in archaeology, this is a division of prehistory based on gross changes in subsistence patterns, climatic changes, housing and burial styles, etc. a) phase b) period c) site d) age
b) period
the main idea behind the holistic perspective is to study culture a) by its individual parts b) through systematic connections of different parts c) through third party reports d) all of the above
b) through systematic connections of different parts
the subfield of anthropology that studies human evolution, including human genetics and human nutrition is called
biological anthropology
research committed to making social change and improving the lives of marginalized people is called a) rapid appraisal b) development anthropology c) action research d) participant observation
c) action research
one of the central ideas of Darwin's theory of evolution was the idea that a) all organisms change over time regardless of their environment b) organisms changed only as a result of not interacting with their environment c) change in organisms was related to their adaptability to a particular environment d) biblical forces were responsible for the changes we see in organisms
c) change in organisms was related to their adaptability to a particular environment
for much of its early history, physical anthropology was associated with what methodology? a) gene decoding b) facial recognition methodology c) measurement and classification of skulls according to racial characteristics d) primatological field studies
c) measurement and classification of skulls according to racial characteristics
which of the following is NOT a part of a human's taxonomic classification? a) primate b) mammal c) plattyrhine d) hominoid
c) plattyrhine
the most enduring and ritualized aspects of culture are referred to as a) folkways b) norms c) traditions d) symbols
c) traditions
the comparative method a) studies the evolution of a single language b) focuses on one society over a long period of time c) uses data from many different societies d) is the only accepted method of research in modern anthropology
c) uses data from many different societies
the subfield of anthropology that studies human diversity, beliefs, and practice
cultural anthropology
who, along with Niles Eldridge, developed the theory of punctuated equilibrium? a) Duane Gish b) Mary Leakey c) Charles Lyell d) Stephen Jay Gould
d) Stephen Jay Gould
ethnocentrism a) presents a major problem for anthropologists b) means you think your culture is superior to others c) is a common feature of culture d) all of the above
d) all of the above
when cultural anthropologists go into the field a) they go with a set of questions they want to ask and have answered b) they often change the focus of their question to fit what they are seeing c) they often go with the flow of everyday life, even if it seems off topic at the time d) all of the above
d) all of the above
in some species of primates, females and their relatives and young are socially organized around a) patrifocal units b) analogous units c) dominant units d) matrifocal units
d) matrifocal units
sickle cell anemia, a blood cell mutation, takes a toll on those afflicted, but it is an example of a mutation that may also be useful because it a) helps reduce the instance of melanoma, or skin cancer, in the tropics b) provides a way for people to resist dangerous viruses like Ebola c) offers health researchers a way to understand genetic differences in a closed population group d) provides resistance to malaria in the tropics
d) provides resistance to malaria in the tropics
what kind of data do anthropologists gather from doing interviews? a) terms for biological species b) details about court cases c) life histories d) opinions on upcoming elections e) all of the above
e) all of the above
the refinement of Darwin's theory has shown that
evolution can only be measured or seen across generations within a population
Franz Boas
father of modern American anthropology; argued for cultural relativism and historical particularism
how would you describe Edward Tylor's evolutionary theories?
he studied the history of human society from simple to complex technology and social institutions (from so called savagery to civilization)
EE Evans Pritchard
instrumental in the development of social anthropology
Fieldwork
long term immersion in a community, normally involving firsthand research in a specific study community or research setting where people's behavior can be observed and the researcher can have conversations or interviews with members of the community
which school of anthropological thought stresses the interrelationship among the natural conditions in the environment and society?
neoevolutionism
the ability to touch the thumb with the tips of the other fingers on the same hand is called:
opposability
if you wanted to understand very early, non living human beings, you would likely engage in
paleoanthropology
in anthropology, holism refers to:
seeking to understand how all aspects of our species are related
the ability to document changes in pottery styles in non living societies happens through
seriation
Anthropology
study of human beings, their biology, their prehistory and histories, and their changing languages, cultures, and social institutions
Evolution
the adaptive changes in populations of organisms across generations
Ethocentrism
the assumption that ones own culture is superior to others
Industrialization
the economic process of shifting from an agricultural economy to a factory based one
Colonialism
the historical practice of more powerful countries claiming possession of less powerful ones
Cultural Relativism
the moral and intellectual principle that one should withhold judgement about seemingly strange or exotic beliefs and practices
Salvage Paradigm
the paradigm which held that it was important to observe indigenous ways of life, interview elders, and assemble collections of objects made and used by indigenous peoples
Natural Selection
the process through which certain heritable traits become more or less common in a population related to the reproductive success of organisms interacting with their environments
Scientific Method
the standard methodology of science that begins from observable facts, generates hypotheses from these facts, and then tests these hypotheses
Participant Observation
the standard research method used by sociocultural anthropologists that requires the researcher to live in the community he or she is studying to observe and participate in day to day activities
Linguistic Anthropology
the study of how people communicate with one another through language and how language use shapes group membership and identity
Biological Anthropology
the study of the biological and biocultural aspects of the human species, past and present, along with those of our closest relatives, the non human primates
Cultural Anthropology
the study of the social lives of living communities
Empirical
verifiable through observation rather than through logic or theory
the American anthropologist responsible for the concept of historical particularism was named
Franz Boas
By cross breeding pea plants, he was able to illustrate the basic laws of inheritance:
Gregor Mendel
Applied Anthropology
anthropological research commissioned to serve an organization's needs
Among the Bonobo chimpanzees, social conflict is often resolved through sexual activity. This is a form of: a) affiliation b) dominance c) behavior modification d) reconciliation
d) reconciliation
Holism
efforts to synthesize distinct approaches and findings into a single comprehensive interpretation
Diversity
the sheer variety of ways of being human around the world
Archaeology
the study of the past based on what people left behind